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  • Office of Information Technology
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Frequently Asked Questions about AU-Sponsored Gmail Accounts



General Information About AU-Sponsored Gmail Accounts


Privacy and Security


Configuration of Your AU-Sponsored E-mail Account


Migration Process in June of 2008



General Information About AU-Sponsored Gmail Accounts


What is an AU-sponsored Gmail account?

An AU-sponsored Gmail e-mail account is created for all newly admitted or enrolled students, when you complete the account creation process at my.american.edu/accounts. These student e-mail accounts are hosted by Google and can be accessed via the Web at mail.student.american.edu. These accounts are referred to as AU-sponsored Gmail accounts to avoid confusion with any other Gmail accounts you may personally have. The AU-sponsored Gmail account uses an e-mail address format of username@student.american.edu. All electronic correspondence from the university will be sent to your "student.american.edu" e-mail address, so it is important to either check it regularly or configure Gmail to forward your e-mail to another address. Back to List

 

How do I log into my AU-sponsored Gmail account?

Open your Web browser and go to mail.student.american.edu. You will be prompted for your USER NAME and GMAIL PASSWORD.

Please note that your user name is the same as your user name on the my.american.edu Web portal, which uses the format of your first and last initials, the last four digits of your AU ID number, and the letter a (usually). For example: If your name is Jane Doe and your AU ID number is 1234567, your username is probably going to be jd4567a.

When you first created your user name, the portal displayed your initial temporary Gmail password. If you do not remember that password, please follow the steps to reset your password. Back to List

 

Who is eligible to get an AU-sponsored Gmail account?

An AU-sponsored Gmail e-mail account is created for all newly admitted or enrolled students, when you complete the account creation process at my.american.edu/accounts. Please note: Gmail accounts are not created for full-time AU faculty or staff, regardless of their student enrollment status. Back to List

 

Can I opt out of the AU-sponsored Gmail service and use AU-hosted e-mail instead?

Yes. Contact the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp to request that your account be migrated back to the AU-hosted servers.

NOTE: if you choose to opt out of the AU-sponsored Gmail service, you will not be able to forward your AU e-mail to an external address any longer. If you want to forward your e-mail to another address, you should configure your account to forward your e-mail. Back to List

 

Will I be able to keep my e-mail address after I graduate from AU?

Your Gmail account will continue to work after you graduate. However, at some point after graduation, your address may evolve again, to username@alumni.american.edu or something similar. You will be notified well in advance of any such change, and should be able to forward messages sent to the old address to the new address for a period of time to ease the transition. Back to List

 

 

Privacy and Security


How do I make sure no one can intercept my password or the messages I am sending in Gmail?

You should enable encryption, or the HTTPS protocol, in the settings for your account. This will encrypt everything that is sent between the computer you are using and the Gmail servers, thereby reducing the probability of interception.

To enable this feature in Gmail:

  1. Log into mail.student.american.edu. 
  2. Click SETTINGS at the top of any Gmail page. 
  3. Set BROWSER CONNECTION to ALWAYS USE HTTPS. 
  4. Click SAVE CHANGES. 
  5. Press RELOAD. Note that the address now starts with https:// rather than http://, meaning the connection is encrypted.

It is also important to end each of your Gmail sessions by clicking SIGN OUT at the top of any Gmail page and to close all Gmail browser windows. Back to List

 

Will Google log my activity or scan my content?

Your AU-sponsored e-mail account is a standard Google Gmail account sent to your username@student.american.edu address. Google's operating practice is to electronically process the contents, addresses, and other characteristics of Google Apps for Education services (including GMail, Calendar, Contacts, Blogger, etc.), in order to improve the efficiency of user searches, and also to focus advertising for individual users. Google's privacy policy states that hosted data is not sold or turned over to third parties, unless the data is subpoenaed in a court proceeding. The data derived from Google's automated processing are maintained by Google until two years after the last date of a customer's use of any Google service.

Under American University's agreement with Google, Google will not display advertising to students using @student.american.edu e-mail accounts while the student is enrolled at AU. When AU enrollment ends, Google may provide customized advertising for users in the same manner it does for other Gmail accounts. Back to List

 

Are AU or Google sharing my personal information with any outside organizations?

No. Google has signed a contract committing to compliance with AU's strict privacy policies. Back to List

 

Is my AU-sponsored Gmail account secure and private?

This service is being provided by the University as the primary e-mail/collaboration system for eligible students. University policies will apply to the service.

Your AU-sponsored Gmail account has been customized for optimal educational collaboration. American University has taken steps to ensure that your student data is protected above and beyond a publicly available account.

Google has signed a contract committing them to uphold a strict privacy policy and to always treat your personal information with the utmost care and security. Read more about Google Privacy & Security. Keep in mind that Google has agreed that AU student data is subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) when in Google's possession. Back to List

 

Will I be able to look up other students' addresses in a directory?

No. To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, the system is not configured to allow one student to look up another's information. Be sure to have the e-mail addresses of your friends and classmates saved to add to your contact list. You may find it helpful to add AskAmericanUHelp@gmail.com to your contact list, so you can easily chat with the IT Help Desk when you need assistance. Back to List

 

How do I ensure that my data stays secure when I'm using a shared or public computer?

IMPORTANT: Closing your Web browser will not end your Gmail session as it does with many other systems. Click the SIGN OUT button when you are finished using your Gmail account on a shared or public computer and then close the browser to be sure that no one else can access your data. Back to List

 

 

Configuration of Your AU-Sponsored E-mail Account


I can't log into my AU-sponsored Gmail account. How do I get my password reset?

Log into the my.american.edu Web portal. Click on TECHNOLOGY. Under Personalized Links, click the CHANGE MY GMAIL PASSWORD link and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you are unable to log into the portal, contact the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp to request a password reset, after confirming your identity. Back to List

 

Will I be able to use a firstname.lastname alias for my e-mail address?

You can request an e-mail alias of firstname.lastname@student.american.edu by contacting the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp. Back to List

 

How do I forward my e-mail my AU-sponsored Gmail account to another e-mail address?

We would like to encourage you to try the Gmail service (which includes Google Chat, Documents, and Calendar), but if you wish, you can opt to forward your AU-sponsored Gmail account to another external e-mail address by following the steps below:

  1. Log into mail.student.american.edu. 
  2. Then, click SETTINGS and FORWARDING AND POP/IMAP. 
  3. Check the radio button beside FORWARD A COPY OF INCOMING MAIL TO and enter your EXTERNAL E-MAIL ADDRESS in the box. 
  4. IMPORTANT: We recommend that you keep a copy of messages sent to you in your Gmail inbox by selecting the KEEP AMERICAN UNIVERSITY'S COPY IN THE INBOX. 
  5. Finally, click SAVE CHANGES from the bottom of the page.

Back to List

 

Can I use another program, such as Mac Mail, Outlook 2007, or Thunderbird) to read my e-mail on my AU-sponsored Gmail account?

Yes. Please follow the instructions below to enable IMAP access and configure your e-mail program to access your AU-sponsored Gmail account:

  1. Log into mail.student.american.edu. 
  2. Click SETTINGS and FORWARDING AND POP/IMAP. 
  3. Scroll down and select ENABLE IMAP. 
  4. Then, click SAVE CHANGES from the bottom of the page. 
  5. Finally, follow the appropriate set of instructions below to configure your IMAP program to connect to @student.american.edu on the appropriate, secure ports:

Back to List

 

Will my portal password synchronize with Gmail?

No. You can manually make the passwords the same, but they will not automatically synchronize. You will be prompted to select a personalized password when you first log into your Gmail account, but your Gmail password will not expire every 90 days like your portal account does. Back to List

 

How do I make sure that mail I want to receive isn't marked as spam?

If messages that you want to receive have be sent to your spam folder, you can prevent that from recurring by taking three steps: 

  1. First, you should add any important addresses to your Contacts List. Most messages from people in your Contacts List will be delivered. 
  2. Then, you should review the contents of your Spam folder and mark messages you want to receive as NOT SPAM. Gmail's spam filtering system will learn what you think is spam, based on what you mark as spam and not spam. It will change how future messages are filtered based on that. 
  3. Finally, you can create a filter so the messages are never sent to the Spam folder.

Back to List

 

 

Migration Process in June of 2008


Has my e-mail address changed?

Yes. Your new address uses the format of username@student.american.edu. Your old address, username@american.edu, has been forwarded to username@student.american.edu. That forwarding will remain in place for as long as you are an active student.

We strongly encourage you to communicate the new address of username@student.american.edu to those that you correspond with, so that your communications are uninterrupted after you graduate. Back to List

 

How does this new e-mail address affect communications using AU Blackboard, Listservs, and Notes groups?

These forms of communication will continue to work. All AU-sponsored Gmail accounts will receive mail sent to the username@american.edu address as long as you are enrolled at AU. When you graduate, the forwarding will end, and mailing lists will have to be updated with your new address. Back to List

 

I have messages in my AU Web Mail account. Can I move them over to Gmail?

Yes, until the mail in that account is deleted on May 4, 2009. However, Gmail will only copy over unread messages. Before setting up Gmail to copy over your e-mail, you should return to your old account to mark all of your messages as unread so they will be copied over to Gmail by following the steps below:

  1. Log into mail.american.edu using your USER NAME and portal PASSWORD. 
  2. Click on the MAIL link. 
  3. Click on the PLUS SIGN beside VIEWS, and then click ALL DOCUMENTS. 
  4. Click the DOWN ARROW button beside MARK READ. Then, select MARK ALL UNREAD. 
  5. Note that all of your messages should now appear as unread, which is indicated by a red color rather than black.

Continue with the steps below to configure Gmail to copy your messages over to your new account:

  1. Log into mail.student.american.edu. 
  2. Click SETTINGS, and then ACCOUNTS. 
  3. Click GET MAIL FROM OTHER ACCOUNTS:. Then, enter your USERNAME@AMERICAN.EDU address. 
  4. Click NEXT STEP. 
  5. Enter your USERNAME, portal PASSWORD, and INCOMING MAIL SERVER. 
  6. Set the port number to 995.
    • To get the name of your incoming mail server, log into the Web portal at my.american.edu. 
    • Click the TECHNOLOGY, and then select the MY CONTEXT AND INCOMING MAIL SERVER link. If you are having trouble or have any questions, please contact the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp for assistance.
  7. Check the boxes beside LEAVE A COPY OF RETRIEVED MESSAGE ON THE SERVER and ALWAYS USE A SECURE CONNECTION (SSL) WHEN RETRIEVING MAIL. 
  8. Click ADD ACCOUNT. 
  9. In the next box, click NO to sending mail as this account, and click FINISH. 
  10. Gmail will connect to AU's mail servers and copy your mail over. This normally takes several hours to finish, so don't worry if all of your messages don't appear immediately.

This will only be an option through the May 4, 2009. Once you have pulled your old messages in to your Gmail account, we ask that you delete this account from your Gmail profile, as it will no longer be necessary. Back to List

 

I have contacts in my AU Web Mail account. Can I move them over to Gmail?

Unfortunately, there is no automated way to move your contacts from Web Mail to Gmail. After you have logged into Gmail for the first time, you can copy individual addresses from Web Mail and paste them into Gmail manually by following the instructions below:

  1. Log into mail.american.edu using your USER NAME and portal PASSWORD. 
  2. Click on CONTACTS. 
  3. Double-click on the first contact you wish to copy to Gmail. 
  4. Select their e-mail address and copy it to the clipboard (in Windows, right-click and select COPY; on a Macintosh, hold the APPLE key down and click, then select COPY). 
  5. Open another web browser window. 
  6. Log into mail.student.american.edu. 
  7. Click CONTACTS, and then ADD A CONTACT. 
  8. Type the person's name and then paste their address (in Windows, right-click and select PASTE; on a Macintosh, hold the APPLE key down and click, then select PASTE). 
  9. Click SAVE.

You will then see the contact you added in your list of contacts. Repeat these steps for each contact you wish to have in Gmail. You may also find it helpful to add AskAmericanUHelp@gmail.com to your contact list so you can easily chat with the IT Help Desk when you need assistance. Back to List

 

Is there any plan to migrate faculty and staff e-mail to Gmail?

No. There are no plans at this time to move faculty and staff accounts. Back to List

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